So you've decided to finally ditch the paper job cards (or that ancient desktop software that crashes every time someone sneezes). Good call. But now you're staring at a dozen different workshop software options, each one claiming to be the best thing since the pneumatic impact wrench.
How do you actually choose?
Here's the thing: most workshop software comparison articles are written by people who've never had grease under their fingernails. They'll tell you about "robust CRM capabilities" and "enterprise-grade solutions" when what you really want to know is whether the damn thing will help you get more cars through the bay.
We've spent years talking to workshop owners across New Zealand. We know what actually matters versus what just sounds good in a sales demo. This guide cuts through the noise and focuses on the 10 features that will genuinely impact your business.
Grab a coffee. Let's do this properly.
What We'll Cover
1. Job Management That Actually Works
This is the beating heart of any workshop software. If the job management system is clunky, overcomplicated, or requires seventeen clicks to create a simple service, you're going to hate it within a week.
Here's what good job management looks like:
What You Want
- Create a job in under 30 seconds
- See all jobs at a glance (not buried in menus)
- Drag-and-drop status updates
- Quick-add parts and labour
- Job templates for common services
- Photos attached directly to jobs
- Clear job history and notes
Red Flags
- Complicated multi-step job creation
- Can't see job status without clicking into each one
- No templates - start from scratch every time
- Photos stored separately from jobs
- Slow, laggy interface
- Confusing terminology ("work orders" vs "jobs" vs "tickets")
The best test? Ask for a demo and watch how long it takes them to create a simple WOF + service job. If the sales rep is clicking around for ages or making excuses, that's your answer.
Pro Tip: The Template Test
Ask if you can create your own job templates. A 10,000km service should be one click, not twenty. If a system doesn't support custom templates, you'll spend forever recreating the same jobs.
2. Customer & Vehicle Database
Your customers are your business. Your software should treat them that way.
A decent customer database isn't just a glorified contact list. It should give you the full picture: every vehicle they've brought in, every job you've done, every note about their preferences ("always calls at 7am", "prefers text messages", "brings donuts at Christmas").
For vehicles, the magic is in the details. In New Zealand, that means:
- 1 Rego-based lookup: Type in a plate number, auto-populate make, model, year, engine, VIN. No manual entry.
- 2 WOF/COF expiry tracking: Know when every customer's warrant expires. Automatic.
- 3 Service history: Not just "oil change on 15 March" but full details - what oil, what filter, what else was noted.
- 4 Outstanding recommendations: That brake job they deferred six months ago? Should be flagged.
| Feature | Why It Matters | Must Have? |
|---|---|---|
| NZTA rego lookup | Saves 2-3 minutes per vehicle entry | Yes |
| Multiple vehicles per customer | Families often have 2-4 cars | Yes |
| Customer notes | Remember preferences and quirks | Yes |
| Outstanding work tracking | Follow up on deferred repairs | Yes |
| Customer portal | Customers view their own history | Nice to have |
3. Parts & Inventory Tracking
Let's be real: inventory management in workshops is a spectrum. Some shops track every washer and split pin. Others operate on the "I'll know when I'm out of oil filters because there won't be any" system.
Both approaches work, depending on your business. But your software should support wherever you land on that spectrum.
At minimum, you want:
Parts Linked to Jobs
Add parts directly to jobs with costs and markup
Margin Visibility
See your profit on every part before invoicing
Purchase History
Know what you paid last time for any part
If you're serious about inventory control, look for:
- Stock level tracking with low-stock alerts
- Barcode scanning support for stocktakes
- Supplier catalogue integration (more on this in Feature 9)
- Purchase order generation direct from jobs
Reality Check
Full inventory management sounds great until you're spending an hour a day updating stock levels. Be honest about how much you'll actually use. A system that tracks parts used on jobs (without full stock control) might be exactly what you need.
4. Scheduling & Workshop Diary
Your workshop has limited capacity: X number of hoists, Y number of techs, Z hours in a day. A good scheduling system helps you maximise that capacity without double-booking or leaving gaps.
What makes a workshop diary actually useful:
Visual calendar view
See the whole week at a glance. Drag jobs to reschedule. Colour-code by job type or tech.
Technician allocation
Assign specific techs to jobs. See who's overloaded, who has capacity. Balance workloads.
Time estimates
Block out realistic time for each job. A clutch replacement shouldn't show the same as a WOF.
Booking confirmations
Auto-send confirmation when a customer books. Include date, time, what to expect.
The holy grail? Online booking where customers can see available slots and book themselves. Not every workshop wants this (some prefer phone calls), but it's increasingly expected - especially by younger customers who'd rather book online than make a phone call.
5. Invoicing & Quotes
Here's where software can genuinely save you hours every week. Manual invoicing is painful - transcribing parts from job cards, calculating GST, formatting everything to look professional, remembering to actually send it...
With decent workshop software, invoicing should be:
One Click to Invoice
Job done? Click "Create Invoice". All labour, parts, and notes automatically pull through. GST calculated. Professional layout applied. Send via email or print for pickup.
That stack of completed jobs waiting to be invoiced? Should take minutes, not hours.
Key invoicing features to look for:
- Quote-to-job-to-invoice flow: Create a quote, convert to job when approved, convert to invoice when done. No re-entering data.
- Customisable templates: Your logo, your colours, your terms. Look professional.
- GST handling: Automatic calculation, GST-inclusive or exclusive pricing, GST period reporting.
- Payment tracking: Mark invoices as paid, see outstanding amounts, send payment reminders.
- Email delivery: Send invoices direct from the system with one click.
6. Xero or MYOB Integration
This is huge for New Zealand workshops. If you're using Xero (and most NZ businesses are), your workshop software should talk to it directly.
What good accounting integration looks like:
| What Syncs | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Invoices | Create in workshop software, appears in Xero automatically. No double-entry. |
| Payments | Mark paid in either system, syncs both ways. |
| Customers | Customer contacts flow through to accounting. |
| Purchase bills | Parts purchases sync to track expenses properly. |
Without integration, you're doing double data entry. Every. Single. Invoice. That's not just tedious - it's error-prone. Xero says you owe $4,500 but your workshop software says $4,650? Good luck figuring out which one is wrong.
MYOB Users
MYOB integration is less common but still available in some systems. If you're committed to MYOB, make sure the workshop software explicitly supports it - and test the integration during your trial.
7. NZTA Vehicle Lookup
This one's NZ-specific and absolutely worth having.
NZTA vehicle lookup means you type in a registration plate and the system automatically retrieves:
- Make, model, and year
- Engine type and size
- VIN number
- Current WOF/COF expiry date
- Registration expiry
- Odometer reading (from last WOF)
No more asking customers "What year is your Hilux?" or manually typing in vehicle details. One rego lookup and you're done.
This feature alone can save 2-3 minutes per vehicle. Multiply that by 10-20 vehicles a day, and you're looking at serious time savings over a year.
Even Better
Some systems automatically check WOF expiry dates for all your customers' vehicles and flag upcoming expirations. That's proactive marketing built right into your database.
8. Service Reminders (SMS & Email)
Here's a question: how much revenue are you losing because customers simply forget to come back?
Most workshops rely on customers remembering their service intervals. Problem is, customers are busy. They forget. They'll drive past your workshop three times a week for six months, 5,000km overdue for a service, completely oblivious.
Automated service reminders fix this:
SMS Reminders
97% open rate. Customers actually see these. "Hi John, your Ranger is due for service. Book online at..."
Best for: Urgent reminders, WOF expiry, booking confirmations
Email Reminders
More detail, include your branding, link to online booking. Lower open rate but free to send.
Best for: Service reminders, newsletters, detailed communications
The best approach? Use both. SMS for time-sensitive stuff (WOF expiring in 7 days), email for general service reminders and marketing.
9. Parts Supplier Integration
New Zealand has a handful of major parts suppliers: Repco (Navigator Pro), Burson (EzyParts), NAPA, and a few others. If your workshop software connects to their catalogues, ordering parts becomes dramatically faster.
Here's the workflow with integration:
- 1 You're on a job card for a 2018 Toyota Hilux
- 2 Click "Find Parts" - system queries supplier catalogues using the vehicle details
- 3 See available parts, prices, and stock levels from multiple suppliers
- 4 Add to job with your markup - part goes on the job card automatically
- 5 Generate purchase order direct to supplier
Without integration, you're switching between systems, manually typing part numbers, and re-entering costs. It works, but it's slow.
10. Mobile Access & Cloud
Last but absolutely not least: can you access your system from anywhere?
Cloud-based workshop software means:
- Work from anywhere: Check the schedule from home. Look up a customer while you're at the parts counter. Send an invoice from your phone.
- Multiple users simultaneously: Front counter, workshop floor, and you at home can all be in the system at once.
- Automatic backups: Your data lives on secure servers, not a single computer that could die tomorrow.
- No IT hassle: Updates happen automatically. No "installing the new version" on every computer.
The Mobile App Question
Some systems offer dedicated mobile apps. Others work through mobile browsers. Both can work, but a proper app usually provides a better experience - especially for techs updating jobs from the workshop floor.
Ask about offline capability too. What happens if your internet drops for an hour?
Making Your Decision
Now that you know what features matter, here's how to actually choose:
1. List Your Non-Negotiables
From these 10 features, which 3-4 are absolute must-haves for your business? Don't compromise on these.
2. Trial Before You Buy
Any decent workshop software offers a free trial. Use it properly - enter real jobs, real customers, real parts. Don't just click around; actually work in it.
3. Involve Your Team
The people using it daily need to be comfortable with it. Get their feedback during the trial.
4. Check the Pricing Model
Per user? Per site? Hidden fees for SMS? Make sure you understand the full cost.
5. Test the Support
During your trial, contact support with a question. How fast do they respond? Are they helpful? NZ-based or overseas?
Wrapping Up
Choosing workshop software isn't about finding the system with the most features - it's about finding the one that fits how you actually work. A simple system that your team will actually use beats a complex one that sits idle.
Focus on the features that genuinely matter for your business. Trial properly. Ask hard questions. And don't let anyone pressure you into a decision before you're ready.
Your workshop's been running for this long - taking an extra week to make the right choice won't hurt. Making the wrong choice? That'll hurt for years.
Good luck out there.